Friday, August 25, 2017

Before The Battle to Zorro Misfire

A General prepares for battle

Zorro prepares to battle a general

Before The Battle (free form poem)

I feel the cold of it
The field that looms beneath my feet
Now covered with a thin live mist
In menacing retreat
-
The sun will show no favor
As it turns behind the clouds
Impending carnage in the air
Birds wait amidst their shrouds
-
How many gallant brave young boys
Will fall upon this day
While mothers scream and cry aloud
Another passed his way
-
It’s there the path that soon will bring
Our trained contenders hence
While we will make our final rest
Along this shaded fence
-
But as the dread hour draws nigh
I fall upon my knees
I pray to God to understand
My love for times as these
-
I hear my troops cast care free shouts
As they begin to sprawl
Just then I’m struck behind the head
“Hey coach, throw me the ball!”

A general (of a different type) prepares to do battle (of a different type) in the mist of this free form poem. As it turned out this whole poem was to draw readers in and mislead them. The trick was to find things soccer and an old fashion battle had in common. Now a soccer coach prepares for a battle (of a different type) and to rally in a laugh or two.

The picture is of the soccer fields at the western end of Golden Gate Park. When I had an early game, it was great to get there before anyone else and watch the mist from the grass retreat. How did I become a soccer coach? When my son, Peter, was a young lad he took up soccer. The parents of the team were very unhappy with the coach. To keep the team together, Arlene and another mom volunteered to coach them. At the first practice Arlene and the other mom talked to parent while the kids just stood around. I decided to run the kids through some exorcises I remember from my junior high school days. After discussing the practice with Arlene, she asked if I would continue to work with the kids. I went to a friend and soccer coach to bring me up to date, as to being a soccer coach. Arlene's talking kept the parents around, so I got their help working withe kids. A surprising after effect was that the team's school grades got better. The parents credited the soccer program for that. I would coach for 13 years. I was big in two major concepts. Run laps, but do not make young minds think running laps is a punishment. Young boys and girls are physically equal.

The game of soccer has just one type of team. The game of life has many teams. We are all members of teams. Many teams; our family, our communities, our job, our county, the human race and the list goes on and on. Our position may seem different depending on the size of the team. For instance: We may be more valuable to our family than our city or town. But here's fact: We are still us. "I don't do much for my town." Oh ya? Think of all the little things we do. Where do we throw our trash? Where do we park our car? How many smiles did we give away today? Get the picture? In a sport, the camera is on the ball. There is a lot going on in the field. Now consider this: At the end one team wins. I and others like playing regardless of the score. As long as I play my best, I always win. We always win. That's how special we are. The game of life is on, so Enjoy.

Some serious battle music: James Horner "An Epitaph To War"

What do Zorro and gun accidents have in common

According to an August 8, 2016 report issued by the NRA-ILA (National Rifle Association - Institute for Legislative Action) Since 1903, the earliest year of data available, the per capita rate of gun accident deaths has decreased 94 percent, from 3.1 to 0.18 deaths per 100,000 population. Over the last 20 years, annual numbers of gun accident deaths have decreased by more than half. Concurrently, Americans have acquired over 150 million new guns and today own approximately 350 million guns, an all-time high. Guns are involved in 0.4 percent of accidental deaths among the total population and 1.3 percent among children. Today, the odds are more than a million to one against a child in the U.S. dying in a gun accident.

What about before 1903? For this we turn to Zorro and the folks at Studio C. "Zorro's Misfire"

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Is There Again to Worst Laugh

His chilling secret

Her chilling secret

Is There Again (Martin verse)

Is there again the meaning of my mood
And reason I am living is renewed
The source of all my dreams is beauty viewed
A moment set which nothing dare intrude
-
Who knew the power hidden in those eyes
The endless fascination hearts devise
No meaning set aside to compromise
Just deep within where way of passion lies
-
So quietly the night sets in the mood
And all the hopes which wishes can devise
For her all once was real can’t compromise
For seconds past surrender can’t intrude
-
Was in that kiss she gently closed her eyes
And in that instant memories renewed
Tomorrows long forgotten nothing views
For silent is the stream where something lies
-
So many tears yet not one to intrude
The hopelessness of this curse which I viewed
For through her blood my reason was renewed
Is there again the meaning of my mood

A romantic moment comes to a chilling end in this Martin verse. I created Martin verse in 2011. It consists of two sets of four rhyming words. In the first stanza the first four words are introduced. The second set of word are introduced in the second stanza. The two sets of words are mixed up in the next two stanzas. In the fifth stanza the first set of words are brought back in reverse order, One extra note about the poem: Now that we know the dark ending, notice that the first stanza contains some warnings.

It was Halloween. What was I going to be? A vampire, of course. Arlene had this real fixation for me dressing up like a vampire at any costume function. It was weird. The girl really was drawn to love stories, whether in books or in movies. But if she sees "vampire"... there is an exception. It was like her guilty secret. Arlene liked lingerie. Other than that we never dressed up for those moments of intimacy. But for any costume event, guess what I was going to be. A vampire. At first, it was the typical Bela Lugosi style: tuxedo and cape. Then she went for the gangster style of "The Lost Boys". The movie wouldn't come out for years. I and others didn't understand the gangster thing. Arlene's costume would never match mine. She would dress in an eastern outfit. Something that showed off her legs. I didn't get t hat either, but I loved those legs. Sooner or later, at the parties, out came the cameras. Between the dancing and the countless poses of a vampire taking this eastern beauty, I just gave into the moment. It was weird but fun.

Have you ever wanted to do something weird or strange? Sing in front of strangers in the street. Dress in formal wear to go grocery shopping. Act like your favorite actor or superhero, when no one is around. Believe it or not these things are actually good for us (as long as no one or nothing is hurt). It serves as a release. A release from stress, anger and many other things that are pent up inside. We must be careful how these strange and unusual behaviors effect our personalities except our strength and self assurance. Oh yes, stepping "outside" will improve our self confident. It could be as little as a chocolate chip cookie we hide away for our self or as big as parachuting from a plane, We are wonderful. And while we are exploring this truth, Enjoy.

Some music for that poem: Jorge Méndez "Cold"

Ever had that date who wasn't quite right

Here are 10 things that will ruin a first date. (from Hearst Media)

1. You talk about your exes the whole time.

2. Your date spends the whole night on their phone.

3. They chew with their mouth open.

4. They're rude to the waiter/waitress.

5. Your date disappears halfway through the night.

6. They change the game plan at the last minute.

7. They invite you to a really nice restaurant and then ask you to pay for everything because they're broke.

Share Poetry and Viral Videos with a friend

Monday, August 21, 2017

Waves Of A Desert to Tiny Guns

A man deals with inner reflections

A detective team deals with a gang of gun runners

Waves Of A Desert (poem)

Waves of a desert
Calling me back
With name unfamiliar
I’m taken aback
-
I walk down the streets
I served faithfully
Each hunger now fed
Long needs laid to bed
New lights up ahead
Why me
This moment
This dream
-
Look all around
Capture the peace of it
Dance through the breath of it
Wander the length of it
A world well woven
By me
This moment
A dream
-
Then wave upon wave
Memories returned
Challenging my eyes
Questioning the whys
Replacing truth with lies
Oh bed
Warm covers
Take me
-
Cruel waves upon waves
Tearing the cloth of it
Stripping the mask of it
Denying the ways of it
Riddle’s Raging wrath
Of this
Waking up
To what
-
As the madness fell
I wondered just who was I
But a small piece of sand
With little command
For ways still at hand
Nameless
Challenges
Beyond
-
Song of a desert
Calling me back
To things long forgotten
Just for a time

A person deals with his feelings in a world changed midst this poem. This is two forms of poetry in one. As the poem goes on, a second voice, a rhyming voice, appears. Both voices are the one person. In the end, resolution.

With one's partner gone the natural question is: Why am I still here? The future doesn't look as grand and endless as when we gazed into our lover's eyes. Sure, I had mountains of people looking after me. That's more than most people in my situation have. One thing that caught my ears was people saying, "We need you." Now, I realize this was a compliment. Back then, bad feelings sprouted up and roamed around within me. I took the compliment as a reason people were helping me. After all, Arlene and I accomplished so much. There is another issue. Arlene and I accomplished so much. Arlene is now gone. Can dreams be created without her? Why am I still here? Can life go on without her? Then there was the final statement. Life had given me so much. I needed to serve for all of the blessings that I enjoy(ed). (Not to get too religious; I feel it my duty to serve.) All these things (and more) were bouncing around inside of me. Then I began to see. To see the things Arlene and I created. Not only our children and our home, but our memories. Memories not only enjoyed by me, but memories other people are building on and enjoying. We did make a difference. Why was I still here? "We need you."

Sometimes it is difficult to see clearly, especially in today's world. Just as an example, let's take the race riot that occurred in Charlottesville. Virginia on August 12, 2017. First we have a number of racist groups, who I personally have problems with and cannot judge them fairly. Then we have an anti racist group. A fight breaks out. There comes this madman, who plows his car into the crowd, killing one young lady. To add to the confusion: the racist group had a permit, the anti racists did not. More: Charlottesville's mayor, Michael Signer, is being accused of holding back police presence. This is not a news article nor meant to be a commentary. It is meant to show how crazy and mixed up things are. To make matters more confusing, the "truth" of the "news" changes depending on our location and source. This is but one example. It happens all around us now-a-days. These are real facts. Imagine the things going on in our mid. Yet,,, We are still, and above all, heading toward the better day. Why? How? Information. It is out there. It is up to us to get it. And get it from more than one source. Many are already doing it. Many who are work on the better day. We are wonderful. As we clearly build with the truth let us Enjoy.

Here's someone who has little problems with the truth: Shaun Hopper "Singing Through The Storm"

This gives new meaning to guns are a small problems

According to Guinness World Records, the title of the smallest working revolver in the world goes to the Miniature Revolver C1ST, manufactured by SwissMiniGun. The tiny firearm measures just more than 2 inches and weighs less than 1 ounce. It fires bullets made by SwissMiniGun that are 2.34 mm caliber, rim fire cartridges and come as either blank rounds.

To show these tiny guns in action here's the gang at Corridor Digital. "TINY GUNS"